The present invention relates generally to a locking apparatus, and more specifically, it relates to a locking apparatus for securing at least one structure or a portion of a utility service enclosure such as, for example, a watthour meter socket ring to prevent the separation of two generally opposing members of the watthour meter socket box ring.
Electrical service providers generally deliver electricity to their customers via power lines buried underground or distributed along poles or towers overhead. The provider's power lines are usually distributed from a power generation station to numerous sets of customer lines, so that customers can then use the power to satisfy their various electrical needs. To measure delivered power so that customers can be billed in proportion to their usage, service providers typically terminate their power lines at a customer's home or business facility through a metered socket box, various designs for which are well known.
A meter box is generally used by electric utility companies, however the invention herein may be used with other utility service enclosures in the gas, water, cable, TV utility industries or in other industries as well.
An example of one previously known meter box consists of two sets of electrical posts, with a provider's transmission lines being connected to one set of posts, and the customer's service lines to the other set. In order to measure the amount of electricity a customer uses, the meter box is configured to accept a watt-hour meter or another electricity usage measurement device, which, when plugged into the socket box, permits transmission of electricity from the provider to the customer and allows the amount of transmitted electricity to be accurately measured, so that the provider can charge the customer for power usage at an appropriate rate.
Various designs and uses for watthour meters are also well known, and all such designs and uses are incorporated by reference into the teachings of the present invention. The present invention is also applicable in situations where the customer's service lines are routed from the meter box to a breaker box so that electricity can be distributed to multiple service locations using additional sets of electrical lines or wires.
Presently, there are various types of meter socket boxes, each distinguished by the manner in which the meter is secured in place once it has been plugged into an electrical socket disposed in the meter box. For example, a ringed-type meter box fitted with a flanged front cover is known, within which a watthour meter is disposed so that a head portion of the meter passes out through a flanged opening in the front cover. In this configuration, the meter is generally held in place using an annular, lockable sealing ring.
In order to hold the meter in place and prevent its removal from the meter box, both the meter and meter base incorporate a corresponding set of flanges that are retained together with an annular, lockable sealing ring. The lockable sealing ring is designed to encase and captivate the corresponding flanges of the meter and base simultaneously. There are various sealing rings on the market that depend upon the security level that is desired. A lower security ring that is currently on the market utilizes an annular band, and two housing members that are installed on each end of the ring. One of these housings, a screw receiving housing, contains a receiving threaded portion. The other housing contains a rotatable screw member. The ring is secured onto the meter and socket flange by using a screwdriver to engage the screw in one housing into the receiving threaded portion of the other housing. Once engaged, the screw can be rotated clockwise, thus urging the housings toward each other, reducing the diameter of the ring to the desired position. Once the ring is secured to the meter and base, a destructible “padlock type” frangible seal is passed through corresponding slots located in the screw-receiving receiving housing and the screw; this prevents unwanted rotation of the rotatable screw member until the frangible portion of the “padlock-type seal” is cut and removed from the two corresponding slots in the screw-receiving housing and the screw. The screw can now be disengaged from the screw receiving housing by turning it in a counter-clockwise direction.
A variation of this design also incorporates a screw-receiving housing and a screw member; however, a thumb portion is located on the end of the screw to allow the installer of the meter ring to install the ring by rotating the screw by hand instead of using a screwdriver. Once fastened, a padlock-type frangible sealing device is passed through both the screw member and the screw-receiving housing. The frangible sealing device is then locked to prevent unlawful disengagement of the two members. This design is an improvement, although it is still a multiple step process to install and secure the ring onto the meter and socket.
In an attempt to overcome various shortcomings, there are various types of locking devices. Some of these locking devices are, for example, destructible locks that can be installed on ring-type meter socket boxes. Several examples of types of patents which disclose attempts to solve some of the above problems are set forth as follows.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,161,838 to Ely, et al., entitled “Locking Assembly,” is directed to a locking assembly adapted for locking first and second members together, the assembly including a housing member and a stud member, the housing member being adapted to receive the stud member and permanently lock the stud member in the housing member, the assembly including a frangible portion, such that a part of the assembly is adapted to be broken away from a remainder of the assembly to permit removal of the assembly from the first and second members. This reference is incorporated by reference herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,406,074 to Mahaney, entitled “Destructible Locking Device,” sets forth a locking device for interlocking two members having aligned openings extending therethrough. The device includes a hollow cap and a pin with an enlarged head at one end and a nose at the opposite end. The pin is insertable through the aligned openings of the members, with its nose received in interlocked engagement within the cap, and with the two members captured between the cap and the enlarged head of the pin. A frangible portion of the pin is severable in response to relative rotation between its nose and enlarged head to thereby destructively disassemble the locking device. This reference is incorporated by reference herein.
There remains a need for a securing apparatus and method for simply holding together or quickly securing at least one structure or a plurality of structures, to lock a utility service enclosure, such as for example, a meter box locking ring having, for example, flanged ends or unflanged ends. There is a need for a simpler device that is easy to use and that can be secured quickly so as to reduce installation time and effort required of the operator or installer.